BY: SUN STAFF
Jul 08, CANADA (SUN) —
Sri Krsna-sandarbha
by Srila Jiva Goswami
Anuccheda 106 (Part 6)
90 The glories of these residents of the Goloka planet are described by the most exalted demigod, Lord Brahma, in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.14.34):
“My dear Lord Krsna, I am therefore not interested in either material opulence or liberation. I am most humbly praying at Your lotus feet for You to please give me any sort of birth within this Vrndavana forest so that I may be able to be favoured by the dust of the feet of some of the devotees of Vrndavana.
Even if I am given the chance to grow just as the humble grass in this land, that will be a glorious birth for me. But if I am not so fortunate to take birth within the forest of Vrndavana, I beg to be allowed to take birth outside the immediate area of Vrndavana so that when the devotees go out they will walk over me. Even that would be a great fortunate for me. I am just aspiring for a birth in which I will be smeared by the dust of the devotees’ feet.”*
From this verse we may understand the exalted spiritual perfection attained by the gopas, gopis and other residents of Goloka Vrndavana, the personal abode of Sri Krsna.
The phrase ‘tam palayanti’ (they protect it) in the verse quoted in text 73 means ‘in this way they worship it.”
91 In this verse (quoted in text 73), the Goloka planet is described as ‘sarvagatah’ (all-pervading). As Sri Krsna is simultaneously present in every part of both the spiritual and material worlds, so is Goloka.
92 In text 73 the word mahan refers to the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This word is also used in reference to Him in the following words of Katha Upanisad (2.1.4):
“The Personality of Godhead is the most powerful (vibhu) and the greatest (mahan).”
93 Because the Lord is the cause of the spiritual sky (mahakasa) the word ‘mahakasa-gatah’ refers to Him. This is described in Vedanta-sutra (1.1.22):
“The spiritual sky is manifest from the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Another interpretation of the word ‘mahakasa-gatah’ is that this word means ;that place resorted to by those who have attained spiritual bodies.” This explanation is confirmed by Sridhara Svami’s commentary on the description in Srimad Bhagavatam of the cowherd mens’ sight of Vaikuntha, and also by the history of Ajamila also recounted in Srimad Bhagavatam.
Another interpretation of the word ‘mahakasa-gatah’ is ‘situated in the highest part of the spiritual world’. Taken in this way the word ‘akasa’ means ‘the spiritual sky.”
94 In the verse quoted in Text 74, the phrase ‘upari upari’ means ‘splendidly manifested above all’. The phrase ‘tava gatih’ (Your destination) refers to Sri Goloka. Although the Personality of Godhead appears in many different forms and enjoys pastimes on may Vaikuntha planets and other places also, He still appears in His original form as Sri Govinda and enjoys pastimes on the Goloka planet. These are the definitions of the words.
95 This ‘gati’ (abode) is not ordinary, but it is ‘tapomayi’, or ‘full of limitless transcendental opulences’. This interpretation is corroborated in Sankaracarya’s commentary on Visnu-sahasra-nama’s statement ‘paramamayo mahat-tapah’. Sankara says:
“The word ‘tapah’ in this verse means ‘limitless transcendental opulences’.
96 Brahma and the demigods cannot understand Goloka. He (Indra) says (in the verse quoted in text 97):
“Although we asked Grandfather Brahma, none of us could understand it.”
97 In the verse quoted in text 75 we find the explanation of the name “Goloka”. In this verse the Vaikunthaloka spiritual world is designated by the word ‘brahmaloka’. That spiritual world is described as attained by they whose hearts meditate on Lord Visnu with devotional love (tapasi yuktanam). This spiritual world is also described as ‘para’, or ‘beyond the influence of the material energy’. The name “Goloka’ is defined as the residence of the surabhi cows (gavam). Goloka Vrndavana as the residence of the surabhi cows is also described in the following verse from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.35.25):
“Upon Krsna’s return, the men, women, and cows of Vrndavana immediately forget the scorching heat of the day.”
The cows of Vrndavana are also described in the verse quoted in text 76:
“O Krsna, You protect the surabhi cows from all dangers.”
98 The residents of Goloka Vrndavana are filled with intense pure love of Krsna, and without attaining this exalted state of pure love of God, no one can enter the Goloka planet. For this reason, Goloka Vrndavana is described as ‘duraroha’ (difficult to attain) in the verse quoted in text 75.
99 After describing Goloka Vrndavana, he (Indra) then states that Goloka and Gokula are the same. He says ‘sa tu’ (the same place). “Loka’ here means “Goloka” and ‘dhrta’ means ‘protected by lifting Govardhana Hill.”
100 That Goloka and Gokula are identical is confirmed by the following verse from the Mrtyunjaya Tantra:
“Bhakti-devi who delights the gopis of Vrndavana and places great devotion for the Supreme Lord in the hearts of the devotees, by her own wish brought the highest Vaikuntha planet from the spiritual world and place it on the earth planet, where it became known by the name Gokula Vrndavana.
101 At his point our critic may vehemently object to our interpretation of these verses from the Hari-vamsa (in texts 72-100). He may say that our interpretations of the word ‘svargaloka’ and ‘brahmaloka’ are completely wrong. He may argue that Svargaloka is a specific planet and three planets above that Svargaloka is the abode of the demigod Brahma, which is known as Brahmaloka or Satyaloka. He may further say that the word ‘soma-gatih’ clearly means ‘the abode of the moon-god’, and this also refers to a specific planet in the material world. In this way out critic will claim that the Brahmaloka mentioned in this verse is a material planet, and the Goloka planet is also another planet within the material plane.
To these objections I reply: Your interpretation of the word ‘soma-gatih’ (which is situated on Brahmaloka) is not acceptable because the moon, sun and other planets are all situated beneath Maharloka and Dhruvaloka. Your interpretation of the word ‘sadhya’ to refer to a class of minor demigods is also unacceptable, for the minor Sadhya demigods are not at all qualified to protect the abode of Lord Brahma. We may also note that the Goloka planet is described as all-pervading (sarva-gatih) in text 73 (hardly a word to describe an ordinary place). We are simply astonished that you are offering such a contradictory interpretation.
102 Our critic would like to interpret the word ‘goloka’ as simply an ordinary cow-pasture of the material world. He is, however, contradicted by Maharaja Indra, who says (in text 74) ‘yam na vidmah’ (We do not understand Goloka). Because these exalted persons cannot understand Goloka Vrndavana, therefore it cannot be an ordinary place of this material world. For this reason it is glorified in the confidential statements of Brahma-samhita and Hari-vamsa as an eternal spiritual abode.
103 That Goloka Vrndavana is not a material place, but the highest planet in the spiritual world, is confirmed by the following verse from the history of Vijaya recounted in the Narada-pancaratra:
“Goloka Vrndavana is the highest planet in the spiritual world. The Original Personality of Godhead, Sri Govinda, who is full of transcendental bliss and is the supreme master of the gopas, gopis and surabhi cows, eternally enjoys pastimes there.”
104 This is also confirmed in the following verse which appears in the Moksa-dharma, Narayaniya and the Skanda Purana:
“O Arjuna, I appear in many different forms on the earth planet, in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha and in the eternal abode of Goloka Vrndavana.”
105 In this way we have conclusively proven that Goloka Vrndavana, the abode of Sri Krsna, is the highest planet in the spiritual world.
106 The Goloka Vrndavana planet is divided into three places, known as Dvaraka, Mathura, and Gokula, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoys pastimes with many different associates.
107 There are also many other places on this earth planet where the Supreme Lord enjoyed various pastimes. These places are actually situated in the Vaikuntha world. They are 1. Beyond the touch of the material energy; 2. Eternal; 3. Uncommon; and 4. They are the eternal abodes of the Personality of Godhead. This description of these holy tirthas is found in the various Vedic literatures.
108 For example, the holy tirtha Dvaraka is described in the Prahlada-samhita of the Skanda Purana, and in many other Vedic literatures as well. The sruti-sastra describes Dvaraka in the following words:
“Within the ocean is a spiritual abode of great splendour. That abode is sought after by Brahma, the Prajapatis and the great philosophers.”
109 That the holy places of the Supreme Lord’s pastimes are beyond the touch of the material energy is confirmed by the following description of Mathura found in the Varaha Purana:
“The holy abode of Mathura is different from this material universe created by Brahma.”
110 That the tirthas sacred in relation to the Personality of Godhead are eternal is confirmed in the following description found in the Patala-khanda of the Padma Purana, where it is said of the holy abode of Mathura:
“The sages then performed austerities in the eternal abode of Mathura.”
111 The uncommon nature of the holy places of the Lord’s pastimes is described in the following verse from the Adi-varaha Purana, where the abodes of Mathura is described:
“O earth, neither on the Bhur, Bhuvar, or Svar planetary systems, nor in any lower or higher planet, have I seen a holy place as extraordinary as this land of Mathura.”
112 That Mathura is the eternal abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is confirmed by the following description of the Vedic literatures:
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead always stays in the land of Mathura. How fortunate is the holy abode of Mathura!”
113 Mathura, the best of holy places and the eternal abode of the Lord, is described in the following words spoken by Lord Varaha in the Varaha Purana:
“In the three planetary systems there is no holy place better than Mathura. O goddess, I eternally reside in Mathura.”
114 Someone may argue that since Lord Varaha says that He eternally resides in Mathura, then Mathura should be the abode of Lord Varaha. Mathura is the abode of Lord Krsna. Since Lord Varaha is a visnu-tattva expansion of Lord Krsna, He said that He resides in Mathura in order to teach us that the Lord is not different from any of His visnu-tattva expansions. That Mathura is the eternal abode of Lord Krsna is confirmed in the Patala-khanda in the Padma Purana:
“How auspicious is the holy land of Mathura, where Sri Krsna, the killer of Kamsa, eternally resides!”
115 That Lord Krsna personally stays in Mathura is confirmed by the use of the words ‘svayam’ (personally) and ‘saksat’ (directly) in the following verse from the Vayu Purana:
“Lord Hari, the killer of Kamsa, personally (svayam) and directly (saksat) stays in the abode of Mathura, which is forty yojanas from Puskara-tirtha.”
116 In this verse the word ‘saksat’ means ‘in a form not perceivable by the material senses’ and the word ‘svayam’ (personally) means that the presence of the Lord mentioned in this verse does not refer to His presence in the form of the arca-vigraha (Deity). The word ‘tatah’ (from this) refers to Puskara-tirtha, which was described in the previous verses.
117 By quoting these verses from the Vedic literatures we have refuted any conception (that may find it’s origin in Lord Varaha’s statement quoted in text 113) that Mathura is the eternal abode of Lord Varaha. Mathura is the eternal abode of Lord Krsna.
118 The holy tirtha of Sri Vrndavana-dhama is described by the Supreme Lord Himself in the following verses from the Gopala-tapani Upanisad (2.35-40):
“Lord Narayana said: As on the summit of Mount Meru are seven cities that fulfil all desires, so on the Earth are seven cities that fulfil desires and grant liberation. Among them the city of Gopala-puri (Mathura) is directly the spiritual world.”
119 In this city the desires of the demigods and all other creatures are all fulfilled and everyone attains liberation.”
120 Protected by My cakra, this city of Mathura, or Gopala-puri, stands in this world as a lotus stands in a lake.”
121 ”Gopala-puri contains these forests: 1. The great forest of Brhadvana; 2. Madhuvana, the former residence of the Madhu demon; 3. Talavana, full of palm trees; 4. Delightful Kamyavana; 5. Great Bahulavana; 6. Kamudavana, full of lotus flowers and water lilies; 7 Khadiravana, full of Khadira trees; 8. Bhadravana, the favourite spot of Lord Balarama; 9. Bhandiravana, the great forest of Banyan trees; 10. Srivana, the abode of the goddess of fortune; 11. Lohavana, the former residence of the demon Loha; and 12. Vrndavana, ruled by the goddess Vrnda-devi.
122 In these forests the demigods, human beings, Gandharvas, Nagas, and Khinnaras sing and dance.”
123 The Lord continues His description of Vrndavana-dhama (Gopala-tapani Upanisad 2.42-44):
“The forests of Gopala-puri are divided into two groups: 1. Krsnavana, or Krsna’s forests, and 2. Bhadravana, Balarama’s forests. Among these twelve forests some are sacred and others are more sacred.
124 “There the demigods stay. There the perfect human beings attained perfection.”
125 “In this place are a Deity of Rama, a Deity of Pradyumna, a Deity of Aniruddha, and a Deity of Krsna.
126 The following description of the holy tirtha of Mathura is found in Gopala-tapani Upanisad (2.48):
“There are these verses: Lord Krsna, accompanied by His three potencies, and by Balarama, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, and Rukmini, stays in delightful Mathura-puri, which is worshipped by Brahma and the demigods and protected by the conch, cakra, club, and sarnga bow.”
127 These verses from the Gopala-tapani Upanisad were spoken by Durvasa Muni in reply to Srimati Radharani’s questions about the nature of Lord Krsna’s transcendental abode.
128 As Vrndavana is the eternal abode of Lord Krsna, so Ayodhya is the eternal abode of Lord Ramacandra. This is confirmed in the following verse from the Ayodhya-mahatmya of the Skanda Purana:
“The Personality of Godhead, Lord Ramacandra, expanding Himself in the forms of His brothers (Laksmana, Satrughna, and Bharata), eternally enjoys pastimes in the transcendental abode of Ayodhya.”
129 Wherever the Personality of Godhead stays is understood to be the spiritual world. This is confirmed in the following statement of Vedic literature:
“The learned know that wherever Lord Hari stays is not within the realm of matter, but is in the spiritual world.”
From this we may conclude that the place where the Supreme Lord stays in His original form as Lord Krsna is the highest of all spiritual planets, above Lord Narayana’s Vaikunthaloka.
Go to Anuccheda One Hundred-six (Part 7)
Return to Anuccheda One Hundred-six (Part 5)
